Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Our Front Yard Garden

We have had small gardens in the back yard, but it is pretty shaded back there. So this year, we decided to utilize the mostly sunny front yard. Another reason - besides the shade - is because of the dogs. Last year they dug up our garden in the back.

So, let's take a tour.

Here is an "overall" view from the front porch:

Below you will see the fancy lettuce we are growing on the left of the picture, carrots are on the right. Well, at least most of them are - we did have a few rogue carrots that grew in between the lettuce. I tried to label the veggies using Paint, but you may have to click on the picture to make it larger to see. Writing with Paint is not the easiest thing to do, so forgive the weird looking letters.﻿

Here is a closer look at the lettuce:

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This is Bak Choy - we ordered seeds and they sent some freebies. This is one of the freebies that we are excited to try. It is also known as Chinese Lettuce.﻿

Below, the strawberry patch is at the top of the picture (better picture later) and we have peas growing on the right; tomatoes on the left. Tomatoes, that is. Even though I didn't put the e in the picture, I don't want to re-edit it now. :)﻿

We have lots and lots of tomatoes. So many I don't know if I could name them all. I know we have purple tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, Borghese tomatoes, Mongol tomatoes, and ... we'll just have to see when they grow. ﻿

Hmmm, even more tomatoes.﻿

Below we have Green Beans and peppers. The peppers will be planted in another raised garden that we will probably do this weekend. Or soon. Really soon. At the top of the picture you can see our blueberry bushes. Or buses as I can see I didn't write it correctly on the picture. Forgive me. Bushes, buses... not a lot of difference, right? Anyway, we planted 1 bush by itself and it didn't bloom because it needs friends. So this year, we got 4 more bushes to join it. You can't see them, they haven't started growing yet, but they are there. And we will be doing something with the stones around it soon.

And here you can see the strawberry patch a little better - but that isn't the highlight of this picture. Here you can see the Red Raspberry bush and the area we planted potatoes in. The potatoes aren't all doing well because of the soil, but that's a boring story. We should get some anyway. I think 5 of them are doing well out of the... 20ish we planted. ﻿

And here are the ummm... yellow raspberries. I know it says black, but the black ones are on the other side of the drive way and I just wasn't thinking. I didn't take a picture of the black ones. But, yeah. Yellow. We did get a few last year and they are interesting. Hopefully it blooms a lot more this year. I will try to keep you posted. ;)﻿

And here is the strawberry patch! It's my favorite fruit. Well, that and pineapple, but I don't think those would grow well here in Ohio. The strawberries are doing very well this year, though. Should have plenty to make some jam! ﻿

Well, that is if Lily doesn't eat them all before I can get enough for jam. ﻿

She loves to pick and eat the strawberries. This past weekend was the first time this summer there were actually red ones to be picked. And she found them all. ﻿

And ate them one by one.﻿

Of course we washed them off first with the hose.

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She wanted more, and I'm sure the next time she comes there will be plenty.

Tonight - just 3 days after she ate all the ripe ones - I went out and picked these:

Mmmmm. They are so good.

Now I need to learn how to make jam - I've never done it before, but I want to try!

Also, we have grapes planted this year as well. Three different kinds - white, red, and concord. I want to make some jam / jelly from those as well, if they produce fruit this year. If not, there is always next year! I know I will have strawberry jam this year, though. And possibly raspberry as well. Black, red, and yellow! :) ﻿